pg 10A-Pearl Harbor PRO 120515.indd

Page 10A - Malvern Daily Record
Saturday, December 5, 2015
USS Hoga finds new home
Pearl Harbor icon docks
at Arkansas museum
By RONNA PENNINGTON
Interim Editor
What should have been a restful Sunday turned into the United States’ entry
into World War II on Dec. 7, 1941 when
Japanese bombs fell on Pearl Harbor.
Within 10 minutes of the first bombing, the Navy’s U.S.S. Hoga (YT-146)
and her crew sprung into action. Rescue
was Hoga’s mission. Hoga and her crew
fought fires for 72 hours straight, rescued
sailors and moved ships to safety. Hoga
moved the U.S.S. Vestal, a repair ship,
away from flames shooting from the
burning hull of the U.S.S. Arizona. On of
her most celebrated rescues was pushing
the sinking U.S.S. Nevada to safety and
opening up the narrow channel that the
Nevada would have otherwise blocked.
For all this work on the day that, as President Franklin Roosevelt said, would live
in infamy, Hoga and her commanding officer and crew received a commendation
from Admiral Chester A Nimitz, commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet.
After the Pearl Harbor attack, Hoga
continued working in the area to clear
debris and to help salvage the sunken
ships.
Second career for Hoga
Following World War II, Hoga had
a second career when she was loaned
to Oakland, Calif., as a fireboat. Hoga,
which became known as City of Oakland, was on loan to Oakland for almost
50 years. Throughout those five decades,
the boat was modified to enhance her
firefighting abilities.
In 1989, the National Park Service
recognized Hoga for her efforts on Dec.
7, 1941 and in 1994, Hoga was returned
to the U.S. Navy, where she was stored.
Declaring war
Hoga comes to Arkansas
Hoga was transferred to the City of
North Little Rock a little more than a decade ago on July 28, 2005. Last month,
Hoga was delivered to her new home,
the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum
in North Little Rock. The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum is located at 120
Riverfront Park Drive in North Little
Rock. For museum hours and admission
information, call (501) 371-8320 or visit
http://aimmuseum.org/.
U.S. recognizes special day of remembrance
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, observed annually on
Dec. 7, is a day set aside to remember and honor all those who died in
the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7,
1941. On Aug. 23, 1994, the United
States Congress designated Dec. 7 of
each year as National Pearl Harbor
Remembrance Day. It is also referred
to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
or Pearl Harbor Day.
While it is not a national holiday,
flying the American flag at half-staf
until sunset is customary on Pearl
Harbor Remembrance Day.
The Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor on Sunday morning, Dec.
7, 1941, sparked the United State’s
entry into World War II. The attack
on America's naval base at Pearl Har-
bor, Hawaii, by the Imperial Japanese
Navy, killed 2,403 American military
personnel and civilians and injured
1,178 others. Four U.S. Navy battleships were sunk and four more were
damaged. The attack also damaged or
sank three cruisers, three destroyers,
and one minelayer. Aircraft losses
were 188 destroyed and 159 damaged.
U.S. Navy battleships at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 (l-r): USS West Virginia (BB-48) (sunk), USS Tennessee (BB-43) (damaged) and the USS Arizona (BB-39) (sunk). Public domain photo from National Archives
and Records Administration, cataloged under the ARC Identifier (National Archives Identifier) 196243
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the declaration of war against Japan on Dec. 8, 1941. (Public
domain photo from National Parks Service)
“Yesterday, December 7, 1941
— a date which will live in
infamy — the United States of
America was suddenly and
deliberately attacked by naval
and air forces of the Empire
of Japan.”
— President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
Dec. 8, 1941
address to Congress,
asking them to declare war
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